Directive
by Cobalt Blue Sphere
Summary: Brand, living embodiment of fiery fury, is visited by Anivia for a little pow-wow. Exposition ensues.


This one was written at /v/'s request, technically. I asked for two characters to write a little story about in a LoL thread, some guy replied Brand and Anivia. Since he was first, I just went with that one. Just some exposition and character exploration - I love that shit.

Never really gave much thought to Brand or Anivia's backstories before this, incidentally. Sort of made stuff up to supplement what I had as I went. Also haven't checked Anivia's story in awhile, so if they've made any changes to it forgive my mistake.

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><p>Brand crept around the small room that had been allotted to him, muttering idly to himself as he did. It was mostly inane gibberish that left his mouth; even he had forgotten what he was saying after speaking for so long. He was somewhat used to imprisonment, having been trapped in a crystal for many years, but this entrapment was quite possibly even worse than the first. He had only just found a new vessel for himself, only just begun to spread the flame, and then he was stopped cold. The injustice of it ate away at him.<p>

So he snarled, paced, and hurled fire at the walls that kept him locked firmly away from the rest of the world. The summoners of the League had deemed him to be far too dangerous to be allowed to roam, and that was saying something; he knew that even Nocturne was allowed to roam the Institute of War, albeit kept on a very tight magical leash while he did. He was hoping that one day he would be granted the same privileges - maybe then he could escape his captors and pick up where he had left off.

For now though, he was resigned to his fate; trapped in a nondescript cell somewhere in the League's headquarters. He was the only source of light in the room, the eternal fire that burned in him casting a flickering light on the stone walls. Several times he had attempted to tear them down, hurling bolts of magma and searing gouts of fire that would have melted any ordinary stone down to slag. The League of Legends had taken precautions against such, however.

Contact with the outside world was scarce for Brand. Once he had been visited by a small child named Annie, who apparently thought of him as a kindred spirit. Aware that incinerating her would likely mean the League would attempt to have him destroyed, he had simply listened to her as she spoke of her friends in the League, great battles she had taken part in, and how she admired fire's destructive properties. She seemed like a nice kid but she would, of course, have to be killed one day. No-one was to survive the flame he would bring forth.

On another occasion, several summoners had barged into his room and ensnared him with debilitating arcane bindings. They had told him to 'act nice, and answer truthfully'. Brand had sneeringly expected some kind of torturer who would demand to know who he was and why he existed. He had instead received a soft-spoken journalist who had meekly asked who he was and why he existed, and it was only for the sake of earning trust from the League that he had answered (somewhat) politely and (somewhat) truthfully. He would've never answered such a pathetic individual otherwise; removing weak, insignificant blights like him from the earth was the actual reason for his existence, despite what he had said.

It was a surprise to him therefore when once again, the stone door creaked open. He whipped his head around to face the intruder, but made sure to not make any threatening gestures. This turned out to be a wise move, as a group of four summoners slinked into the room, one of them laden with glowing purple chains .

"Brand, Burning Vengeance." Brand's head flicked to face the summoner in the lead as he stated his name impassively. He had his hood down over his eyes, but the firelight from Brand's body illuminated them regardless. His cold blue stare fit his bright blue robes well.

"Summoner?" Brand jeered, a mocking respect in his voice. On any other occasion, any man who stood so boldly before him would be nothing but ash in the wind.

"You have a visitor. As a precaution, you will be placed under these arcane bindings until she is done." The summoner's voice was devoid of inflection.

"A visitor, hm? Who seeks my company this time?" Brand's voice darkened. This was exactly what had been said when that incompetent journalist had sought an audience.

The summoner didn't reply, instead motioning with his hand to direct the summoner carrying the bindings forward. Hesitantly the young summoner approached, shying away slightly from the heat emanating from the scorching fire element. The chains leapt out of his hands and onto Brand's arms as the lead summoner gestured again, and attached themselves to the nearest part of the wall.

Without another word from either party, the four summoners left Brand's prison, leaving the door open. Brand didn't bother to make a move - undoubtedly they would be on high alert. Instead he kept his gaze firmly on the door, awaiting his visitor.

The room chilled as the great Cryopheonix Anivia entered the room, each flap of her wings sending out an icy gust that ate away at Brand's presence in the room and replaced it with her own. A molten fury filled Brand, and as if in defiance the flames that emanated from him strengthened.

"What do _you_ want?" Brand snarled at the great bird. "Did they send you to torment me?"

Anivia fluttered her wings rapidly, settling on a spot just off the center of the room. With each flap she made to maintain her height, another chill swept through the room.

"I am here of my own volition," Anivia replied coolly. Even her voice incited a burning rage inside Brand; how dare she remain so calm, so cool, so composed in his presence?

"Ah, here to quench the flame that threatens you then? Proactive, but mine is a flame that never goes out."

"I have not come to harm nor taunt you, Burning Vengeance. I have come to a revelation I see fit to share with you."

"What makes you think I want it?" Brand snapped. "Your very presence insults me, Cryopheonix."

"Yours is to cleanse the world, is it not? You were made to bring forth the ending flame and remake this world anew." Anivia questioned gently.

Brand did not respond, choosing instead to glare molten daggers at her. Anivia continued unphased.

"Do you remember the last time we fought on Summoner's Rift? I do, you raved and ranted quite a bit. You swore to 'cleanse the earth of the cold's taint and bask the world in a warming glow', if memory serves. To you, I am anathema. You, the embodiment of fire, and I of ice. Polar opposites, if you will."

"Get to the point, chicken, and stop wasting my time." Brand spoke harshly.

Anivia nodded and went on. "Of course. On my world, there are several elemental avatars like myself. Several avatars that represent the primal forces of nature and stand vigilant to ensure that there is balance; ice, earth, storm and fire."

"The point." Brand growled.

"You are similar to the protector of fire I once knew. He too was full of fury, and often quick to act. Once we clashed in the skies over a great sea, and where our strikes collided, new land was created. Though we were opposites, I realized then we both - or rather, what we represented - were necessary for the world's continued existence."

Brand quickly cottoned on. "Ah hah. I see where you're going with this. You fancy yourself useful? On the contrary, this world would be a much happier place if you were melted down."

"You should not hate so much. Though we exist to antagonize each other, in doing so we ensure this world remains in balance. Balance is important to nature, and you as the embodiment of one of nature's primal forces should understand that. The very earth we stand on and the life it sustains is a testament to such." Her voice had taken on a much colder tone, though she remained otherwise as impassive as ever.

Brand did not say a word for some length of time. It appeared to her he was contemplating her words, which was true to an extent, but primarily he was trying to think of something he could say or do which would sting her enough to make her leave. As it turned out all he needed to do was keep his silence, as with another harsh flap of her wings she turned around to take her leave.

"Give some thought to what I have said." She bade him farewell with that, and left the stone room.

The comforting heat returned to the room now that Anivia had been removed from it, and with it came the four summoners again. Wordlessly they removed the bindings from Brand and hurriedly left the room, one wiping his sweating brow as he went.

Brand began pacing again in short order, muttering darkly to himself. If one had been listening closely, they probably could have heard him say:

"Balance? No. Directive. Directive above all else. Someday..."


End file.
